


Ethereal

by archangelwithashotgun



Series: Tumblr Prompts [62]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Crying Castiel, Crying Dean, Crying Sam, Destiel - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Castiel, Established Relationship, Established Wincestiel, Fluff, Hurt Castiel, Kisses, Loving Dean, Loving Sam, M/M, One Word Prompts, Post-Casifer, Sastiel - Freeform, Tumblr Prompt, Wincest - Freeform, Wincestiel - Freeform, ethereal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 08:50:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7163486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archangelwithashotgun/pseuds/archangelwithashotgun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethereal (Greek): extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.</p>
<p>It was a surreal experience, actually blinking his eyes open to clearly view the world for the first time since Lucifer’s possession.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ethereal

It was a surreal experience, actually blinking his eyes open to clearly view the world for the first time since Lucifer’s possession.

Castiel exhaled slowly as he slowly came back to the waking world, eyes narrowed with the sting of remaining sleep. He felt his back and elbows digging into the firm mattress and his neck sinking into the warm pillow. Looking around at the layout and possessions inside the room, Castiel quickly deducted that he had been placed on the bed in Dean’s room.

Castiel also noticed that neither Winchester brother was in sight.

At once, the weight that had been missing for the extremely brief period after awakening was settling back into his chest. Castiel huffed as his heart gave a lurching beat, his lungs feeling compressed of all air. The back of his eyes burned with tears, and Castiel hissed in a breath, his throat trembling as he gave a rough swallow.

The seraph fully expected this to happen, because why wouldn’t it? Castiel had allowed Lucifer, their biggest adversary second to the Darkness herself, to take possession of him. By default, Castiel had allowed Lucifer to taunt and emotionally manipulate Dean, the words coming from Lucifer but stemming from his own mouth. He had allowed Lucifer to be alone in the same room as Sam and, with Castiel’s hand, had allowed the archangel to reach inside the hunter to destroy his soul.

Lucifer played that montage in his head over and over again, ensuring that Castiel witnessed the shock and anguish and horror on each of the Winchesters’ faces when they discovered just what Castiel had done.

And now, neither Sam nor Dean was in the room with him.

Despite knowing that the brothers had a right to keep away from him, Castiel’s heart still bled openly, and hot tears flowed steadily from the corners of his eyes, streaming down his temples and onto his ears.

Castiel sniffed and took in a quivering breath, his jaw clenching tight. Quickly, his hands snapped up to wipe furiously at his face, clumsily smearing the tears across his cheeks. Huffing, a sob choking in his throat, Castiel slowly pushed himself in a sitting position, grunting against the strain of using his weary muscles.

A sucked in breath sounded from the door. Startled by the light interruption, Castiel whipped his head up to glance at the door.

Sam was in the entryway, frozen halfway into the room, eyes wide and gaping at the angel on the bed.

Castiel shifted his weight onto his right arm, visibly trembling from the action as a sharp exhale blew past his lips. Sam gave a minor start at the sound and flinched out of his stupor, twisting around to shout down the hallway, “ _Dean!_ ”

Castiel was helpless to stop the whimper that escaped him; oh Father, he was _not_ ready to face the both of them, not ready _at all_. Sam turned back around to face Castiel, and the hunter seemed to inflate with a lifted weight.

“Oh my God,” Sam whispered, practically gliding into the room as he headed for the bed, arms outstretched toward Castiel. “ _Cas_.”

Castiel’s lower lip wobbled as the bed bounced with Sam’s added weight and as Sam carefully took Castiel’s face in his hands, the hunter’s hazel-emerald eyes flitting frantically in between Castiel’s own.

“Oh thank _God_ , you’re okay,” Sam breathed.

Sam’s fingers tightened on Castiel’s face and the man leaned in to press a series of soft, warm kisses to Castiel’s trembling lips, much to the angel’s astonishment. Castiel’s eyes slid shut, and his hand wrapped around Sam’s wrist and he met Sam’s kisses with his own, desperate to imprint this feeling in his mind before he was ultimately made to leave. His eyes burned behind closed lids at the notion.

Rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway and Sam pulled back from Castiel just in time for Dean to slide into the doorway, lightly panting. Castiel felt Sam’s thumb stroke gently at his cheek before his hand slipped off of Castiel’s face, scooting over to sit at the angel’s right side on the mattress. Castiel’s hand reluctantly loosened and let go of Sam’s wrist, but the hunter merely slid his hand down to lace his fingers together with Castiel’s, giving the angel a compassionate squeeze.

“Cas,” Dean exhaled, and the man stalked forward toward the seraph. Castiel refrained from flinching at the movement, and his self-loathing only increased with the realization that he was scared of Dean. Scared of the both of them. Terrified of what they would say and do.

No matter how much he had earned their hatred.

Dean climbed onto the bed space in front of Castiel, one hand reaching out to cup the nape of Castiel’s neck and the other curled tenderly around his cheek. Like Sam, Dean’s eyes scanned every aspect of Castiel’s face worriedly, and the angel got lost in lush green meadows, entranced as they gleamed over with a shine.

“Damnit,” Dean choked, firmly kissing Castiel’s lips before moving up to kiss Castiel’s forehead. “ _Damnit_.”

Sam bowed forward to grasp the back of Dean’s neck with his free hand and to lay his forehead on Castiel’s shoulder. The angel screwed his eyes shut tight, the heat behind his eyes unbearable. A loud, quivering breath escaped him, and tears squeezed out of the corners of his eyes, falling hot and fast down his cheeks.

“Oh, Cas,” Dean whispered, pulling away so he could observe Castiel’s face fully. Castiel opened his eyes, the tiny action causing more tears to fall. Dean shook his head, carefully wiping the tears away from one side of Castiel’s face, and he opened his mouth.

Castiel braced himself, sucking in a wet breath as he closed his eyes. He set his jaw as Sam raised his head to pepper light kisses against Castiel’s clothed shoulder, his chin grazing lightly against the fabric as his lips reached Dean’s knuckles.

This was it. This was the end of them. And it had been all Castiel’s fault. Oh Father, he thought he was ready to face this, thought he had ample time preparing in his mind when Lucifer had taken hold, but Lord, he _wasn’t_. He wasn’t ready to lose this, he wasn’t—

“Cas, we are so, _so_ sorry.”

Castiel’s blinked his eyes open, heartbeat slow with abrupt bewilderment. “What… What are you taking about?” he croaked.

Dean froze for a split-second before a wave of blinding happiness shined in his eyes, and the most beautiful smile stretched across Dean’s worn face. Castiel’s shock must have registered in his posture, for Sam’s chuckle rumbled against his shoulder.

“It’s been…” Sam started, trailing off into a sniffle. “It’s been a while, y’know, since we’ve heard _your_ voice, and we just… It feels so _good_ to hear your voice again, Castiel.”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed roughly, his smile thinning a bit. “Seriously, Cas… We really are sorry. We can’t even begin to—“

“Wait,” Castiel interrupted, frowning confusedly. “I don’t… I don’t understand. Why would the two of you be – I don’t…” The angel exhaled sharply, glancing in between the hunter before him and the one leaning on his shoulder, alarmed. “ _I_ should be the one apologizing.”

Dean shook his head. “No. No, you’re not.”

“I said yes to _Lucifer_ ,” Castiel continued, his eyes narrowing in a plea. “I… I allowed him into your _home_ , I let him _hurt_ you, and he—“

Castiel ripped his stare away from Dean to look down at Sam. Castiel shook as he met Sam’s glimmering, hazel eyes that contained all the forests of his Father’s creation.

“He almost _killed_ you, Sam,” Castiel breathed, “by _my_ hand.”

Sam gave his hand a firm squeeze and he pressed his mouth tightly against the back of Castiel’s shoulder.

“You saved me, Cas,” Sam murmured, letting go of Dean’s neck to slide his palm soothingly up Castiel’s bicep. “You took back control from him, and trust me, I know just how hard that can be. You took back control, and you saved me.”

Castiel shivered, the memory of the assault plaguing his mind, and he carefully resting his cheek against Sam’s head, heaving out a sigh.

“And Cas?” Dean spoke up. Castiel looked back over to the older Winchester, and Dean smiled softly. “It’s _our_ home, okay? Ours.”

An astonishing wave of blissful delight crashed through Castiel’s chest, spreading in ripples throughout his body. A large portion of him remained doubtful that it could have been this simple, but a slightly larger portion was so, _so_ relieved. They would get through this, all three of them. And things… things might be okay.

“Now…” Dean started, letting go of Castiel temporarily to crawl forward on his knees. Sam shifted beside him and Castiel found himself being grabbed and moved forward as Sam settled behind him, the hunter’s legs sliding around to encase Castiel, and the angel was gently pulled back to rest against Sam’s chest.

Dean scooted forward once Sam and Castiel were situated, sliding into the space between Castiel’s legs as he sat sideways across Castiel’s lap. Once there, Dean laid his head on Castiel’s right shoulder with a sigh, his nose nudging into the skin of Castiel’s neck. Sam rested his chin on Castiel’s left shoulder, his arms encircling around Castiel and Dean both, one hand seeking out Dean’s and the other splayed over Castiel’s abdomen, holding the two of them close.

“Now,” Dean started again, now that they were all settled in, “you made a choice. You made a decision… and you terrified the absolute _crap_ out of us with that decision. But… we finally understand why you felt like you had to make that choice, and Cas, we can’t… I just…”

When Dean couldn’t continue on, Sam took in a shaky breath.

“We’re sorry,” Sam whispered, stroking the expanse of Castiel’s stomach. “We are so… _so_ sorry, Castiel.”

“You have nothing to apol—“ Castiel began, almost dizzy with the confusion and turmoil swimming around his mind.

“Yes we do,” Dean growled. “You never should have made that decision, Cas, because you never should have felt that _that_ was your worth to this cause and to us.”

Dean twisted around a little to lean up and look into Castiel’s expression, his eyes hard and firm but at the same time so soft with love and tenderness that Castiel couldn’t help but melt further into Sam’s arms.

“You’re worth so much more to us, Cas,” Sam murmured, punctuating his words with a kiss to Castiel’s shoulder. “Look, we’ll have a long time about this later, and we’ll spend every second of it making sure that you understand just how much you mean to us. Just know this, Castiel…”

Sam slid his hand up Castiel’s stomach and chest to grip Castiel’s chin, and the seraph obediently turned away from Dean to look into the younger Winchester’s eyes. Sam smiled, and the forests of his eyes fluttered with gleaming happiness.

“You’re not expendable,” Sam said reverently, and the sincerity behind his words made Castiel’s doubt falter, his core shaking. “Not to anyone, and especially not to us. We love you… So damn much.”

Castiel sniffed and sucked in a wet breath, new tears cascading down his face. Sam shifted his hand on Castiel’s chin to clear them away, the hunter smiling so warmly and lovingly, no trace of the expected rage or betrayal present in his expression.

“Right now though, we just want to be with you,” Dean announced, tucking himself in even closer, hooking his left arm around both Castiel and Sam, moving his right arm back a bit to interlace his fingers with Sam’s. “Because we missed you, you little idiot.”

A watery chuckle found its way out of Castiel’s heaving body, breathless with exhilarating relief at the two wonderful, beautiful men embracing him. Turning to press his nose against Sam’s temple, Castiel closed his eyes and shook with silent sobs. Dean shifted closer and burrowed his face into Castiel’s neck, and Castiel felt his Dean’s shoulder tremble against his chest. Sam was shaking as well, pressing his eyes against Castiel’s coat collar.

Past his crushing elation, Castiel could sense the overpowering surge of emotions running wild through the minds of the hunters. The angle was a little awkward considering how tightly they were all pressed up against each other, but Castiel managed to slide his left hand to press up against the bond mark he created on Dean’s bicep all those years ago, but before he realized just how much he and his brother would come to mean to him. Sam didn’t have a mark of his own, yet Castiel took his other hand and swung it carefully around Sam’s head, cupping at back of the younger brother’s neck.

His eyes still closed, Castiel clenched his jaw and focused all of his energy into his hands, passing tendrils of soothing grace, _his_ grace, to ease the minds of his hunters. He felt the warm light of celestial intent flow through his fingers, actively seeking out the worries and distress affecting the Winchesters.

The angel noted the difference immediately; hoarse huff of air and Dean deflated, leaning heavily onto Castiel, and Sam let loose a ferocious tremble before he himself sagged against Castiel’s back, streaming tears drenching the shoulder of Castiel’s trenchcoat. Castiel reveled in the pure love radiating from his beloved pair, astounded that two humans could rival his devotion toward Heaven and win.

The seraph coaxed Sam from where he lay on his shoulder and when the man looked up, face red and eyes bloodshot, Castiel leaned in and kissed him firm and certain. Sam whimpered softly and pressed their mouths together a bit harder together before slowly pulling away, his lips wobbling as he smiled. Castiel smiled back, nudging his nose gingerly against Sam’s, before turning towards Dean.

Upon facing the older hunter, Castiel paused.

“Dean…” he began, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. “Does this not qualify as one of those chick-flick moments you speak of?”

Clearly startled, Dean broke into Castiel’s neck, his booming laughter lightly muffled into the crook. Sam once again pressed his face into Castiel’s shoulders, his own body trembling as amusement overtook him.

“Yeah I suppose so,” Dean chuckled when he came down from his high, sniffing lightly. “But I’ll make an exception this one time for you, angel.”


End file.
